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19.50 The Afghan intelligence spokesman has stated that four Haqqani network insurgents attempted to assassinate the vice-president Karim Khalili in Kabul.

18.49 The Foreign Office has just iddued a pres release with the following statement from William Hague:

I strongly condemn today's coordinated attacks against the Afghan parliament, a hotel, an ISAF camp and diplomatic premises in Kabul and other Afghan provinces. The British Embassy was one of the diplomatic premises that was targeted.

I am pleased to report that every member of Embassy staff is safe and that there has been limited damage to Embassy premises. I would also like to praise the staff in the British Embassy, who dealt with this dangerous situation extremely professionally.

The Afghan National Security Forces responded to the attacks bravely, promptly and effectively, once again illustrating the significant progress that has been made in ensuring that Afghans can look after their own security. Britain stands with the government and people of Afghanistan as they work to build a peaceful future.

17.54 Fighting was continuing into th night in two of three areas in the Afghan capital that were attacked by the Taliban including near the country's parliament and close to the heavily-guarded diplomatic enclave, Kabul Police Chief General Ayoub Salangi told Reuters:

They're still resisting in two areas, one near parliament and the other close to the Kabul Star Hotel.

An armed Afghan police officer takes his position after gunmen launched multiple attacks in the Afghan capital Kabul (Reuters)

17.40 The Afghan ministry of interior states that 13 insurgents have been killed across the country during today's attacks, the BBC reports: 4 in Kabul, 3 in Jalalabad, 3 in Paktia, 3 in Logar. One insurgent has been arrested, in Logar.

Afghan National Security Forces responded to a series of attacks today in Kabul and in a few outlying provinces. The attacks, which were concentrated in three clusters around the city, were labeled by the Taliban as the start of the so-called “Spring Offensive,” and were largely ineffective.

ISAF quick reaction forces were prepared to respond if required but were not needed.

16.29 Hamid Karzai was discussing the budget with a group of MPs when explosions and gunfire rocked three locations in the capital, including an upmarket diplomatic enclave close to his fortified palace, one of his aides said.

All his afternoon meetings, including one with a delegation of an insurgent group in Kabul for peace talks, were cancelled, the official told AFP, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Additional bodyguards were deployed in the presidential palace and a meeting with a delegation of Hezb-i-Islami, an insurgent group led by former prime minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, now holding peace talks with Karzai was cancelled, the aide said.

15.53 The Taliban spoksman has also vowed to launch similar attacks.

15.47 A Taliban spokesman has told Reuters that the attacks today are retaliation for the Koran burnings, US Marine urination video and the Kandahar shooting massacre.

15.28 Afghan President Hamid Karzai is under lockdown in Kabul, an aide tells the AFP.

15.11 US Ambassador Ryan Crocker to Kabul said the ability of Afghan security forces to respond to a wave of coordinated attacks Sunday across Afghanistan were a "clear sign of progress":

We've seen a very professional performance by Afghan security forces.

They are able to deal with events like this on their own. A clear sign of progress.

An Afghan Army soldier, armed with a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), patrols the streets of Kabul (AFP/Getty Images)

14.57 One of President Hamid Karzai's two deputies, Mohammad Karim Khalili, was a target of coordinated suicide attacks in Kabul, an intelligence official said.

Lutfullah Mashal, a spokesman for the Directorate of National Secruity (NDS), said the group tasked with attacking Khalili's home in west Kabul was captured before reaching their target. He told AFP:

Two of them were (would-be) suicide bombers and another armed individual were captured. They were intending attacking the home of Mr Khalili. They were armed with suicide vests, guns and other explosives.

14.46 Afghan Taliban insurgents have attacked the heavily-guarded Palace compound of President Hamid Karzai, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said in a second statement.

14.36 Telegraph video of a Nato helicopter firing at a building occupied by insurgents in eastern Afghanistan:

14.24Ben Farmer tweets:

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Ben Farmer - Up to four attackers in half built Hashimi building near Zanbaq. Not in Kabul Star. Perhaps two others in building near Parliament.&lt;/noframe&gt;

14.19 The Afghan interior ministry states that fighting is over in Eastern Nangarhar and Paktia provinces.

14.17 A Foreign Office spokesperson has stated:

We can confirm that there is an ongoing incident in the diplomatic area of Kabul. We are in close contact with the Embassy, all staff are accounted for.

The remains of a car that was carrying suicide bombers near Jalalabad airport, Afghanistan (AP)

14.05 The Afghan government's Interior Ministry said that initial intelligence on a wave of insurgent attacks across the country pointed to involvement of the militant Haqqani Network. Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told Reuters:

It's too early to say, but the initial findings show the Haqqanis were involved.

US defence official says attackers using mostly small arms and rocket-propelled grenades, and "perhaps even suicide bombers".

Three rockets hit a supermarket popular with foreigners near the German Embassy, witnesses said. Smoke rose from the vicinity of the embassy while women scurried for cover as gunfire crackled.

US army convoys could be seen entering the area with Afghan police in flak jackets. Embassy alarms were sounding.

Members of Afghan security force rush to the site of a terror attack in Kabul (AP)

13.30 Sources at British embassy in Kabul say staff in lockdown, Reuters reports. Two rockets hit a British Embassy guard tower near the Reuters office in the city.

Witness says attackers fired a rocket-propelled grenade that landed just outside the front gate of a house used by British diplomats in the city centre and smoke billowed from the area after the blast.

13.20Taliban says main targets of assault are German and British embassies and headquarters of Afghanistan's NATO-led force, reports Reuters.

The organisation says in a statement that "tens of fighters", armed with heavy and light weapons, and some wearing suicide-bomb vests, are involved.

Spokesman says it was easy to bring fighters into the capital, and they had had inside help to move heavy weapons into place.

We can confirm that there is an ongoing incident in the diplomatic area of Kabul. We are in close contact with embassy staff.

Smoke rises from a watch tower near the British embassy after gunmen launched multiple attacks in Kabul (Reuters)

12.55Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tells AFP:

The Kabul administration and the invading forces had said some time ago that the Taliban will not be able to launch a spring offensive. Today's attacks were the start of our spring offensive.

12.50 The Afghan Taliban says coordinated attacks in several provinces in Afghanistan, including multiple assaults on Western embassies and NATO headquarters in Kabul, are the start of an insurgent spring offensive.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tells Reuters:

These attacks are the beginning of the spring offensive and we had planned them for months.

An Afghan National Army soldier keeps watch near the scene of one of the attacks in Kabul (AFP/Getty Images)

12.35Germany's embassy in Kabul was damaged but no one is believed to be injured, the foreign ministry said after explosions and gunfire rocked the diplomatic quarter of the Afghan capital.

A spokeswoman told AFP that the "grounds of the German embassy" had sustained damage but that "as far as we know (there have been) no injuries."

12.25US embassy in Kabul "in lockdown" after surrounding area targeted in the multiple attacks on the diplomatic districts of the Afghan capital but no staff members have been injured.

The embassy said in a text message statement to Reuters:

Attacks are ongoing in the vicinity of the US embassy in Kabul. Avoid the area. Shelter in place. The US embassy is currently in lockdown ... all compound personnel are accounted for and safe.

Near the parliament, the first floor of a neighbouring building has been taken by police and one terrorist is dead

In two other areas of the city militants have taken positions in tall buildings and "are firing", he says.

11.40 Taliban says it and other militant groups are behind a coordinated assault in Kabul which included attacks on British and German embassies in the heavily-guarded diplomatic district, reports Reuters.

Armed Afghan police take up positions on the streets of Kabul after gunmen launched multiple attacks in the Afghan capital (Reuters)

11.45The Daily Telegraph's Ben Farmer tweets from Kabul:

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Ben Farmer - Up to four attackers in half built Hashimi building near Zanbaq. Not in Kabul Star. Perhaps two others in building near Parliament.&lt;/noframe&gt;

11.15 Attacks appear to represent coordinated assault by militants on three neighbourhoods frequented by Afghan government officials and their international allies.

Wave of violence likely to intensify concern in the run-up to the planned withdrawal of foreign combat troops by the end of 2014.

The assault appeared to repeat the tactics of an attack in Kabul last September when insurgents entered construction sites in several places to use them as positions for rocket and gun attacks.

11.10 Reports say rockets fired at parliament building and at the Russian embassy. Insurgents storm Star Hotel near presidential palace and Iranian embassy.

11.00 Reports that several attackers tried to enter the Afghan parliament in Kabul but were engaged by security forces and driven back.

10.30 Loud explosions and automatic gunfire heard in central Kabul area near US and British embassies.